The 2023 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to Narges Mohammadi, a prominent Iranian human-rights activist, despite widespread expectations that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would claim the honor. Mohammadi is currently serving a 10-year, 9-month sentence for charges of propaganda against the Iranian state and actions against national security.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Nobel Committee announced, “The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the 2023 #NobelPeacePrize to Narges Mohammadi for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all.”
Zelensky had been a favorite for the prize, with bookmakers such as Nicer Odds placing his chances at +220, but experts were less certain. Henrik Urdal, director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo, told CNN that many bookmakers tipped Zelensky because he is a well-known figure. “Bookmakers here are trying to find candidates that people are willing to put money on—well, lose money on,” Urdal remarked, casting doubt on the Ukrainian president’s odds.
Dan Smith, director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, echoed this view, comparing Zelensky’s situation to that of Winston Churchill during World War II. “It would be like saying in 1941 that [Churchill] should get the Nobel Peace Prize. What he was doing at the time was trying to win a war. That’s what Zelensky is trying to do now,” Smith told CNN, adding that Zelensky could be a future recipient if he leads Ukraine into peace.
Announcing Mohammadi’s victory in Oslo, Berit Reiss-Andersen, chair of the Nobel Committee, said, “This prize is first and foremost a recognition of the very important work of a whole movement in Iran with its undisputed leader, Nargis Mohammadi.” Reiss-Andersen noted Mohammadi’s long history of activism, including being imprisoned 13 times and convicted five times, with her sentences amounting to 31 years in prison.
The Nobel Committee highlighted Mohammadi’s role in the protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022. Amini died in the custody of Iran’s morality police, leading to widespread demonstrations against the regime under the slogan “Woman – Life – Freedom,” which the Nobel announcement said “suitably expresses the dedication and work of Narges Mohammadi.”
Mohammadi’s win follows the 2022 prize, which was awarded to Ukrainian and Russian human rights organizations, and Ales Bialiatski of Belarus, seen as a rebuke to Russian President Vladimir Putin for his invasion of Ukraine.
Following the announcement, Oleksandra Matviichuk, head of Ukraine’s Center for Civil Liberties, praised Mohammadi’s recognition. “We live in a very interconnected world. Right now, people in Iran are fighting for freedom. Our future depends on their success,” Matviichuk wrote on X.
Matviichuk also pointed to Iran’s alleged support of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, specifically its supply of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Moscow, saying, “If authoritarian regimes cooperate, then people fighting for freedom have to support each other much more strongly.”
The Nobel Prize committee reviewed 351 nominations for this year’s prize. The award ceremony will take place in December, though it is uncertain whether Mohammadi will be able to attend in person.
